32: Hunting the Black Devil Report

General Summary

After a quick breather to recover from their encounter with the Displacer Beast pack last session, the party push onwards into the woods. Following a trail of humanoid foot-prints, they run across some trouble in a trio of Venom Trolls, who notice the party and attack. After a particularly brutal encounter, where the party discover the creatures ability to regenerate and how to stop them coming back, they push onwards.
After a short rest to heal, they continue to follow the trail. It leads them to a cave, where the party discover the body of a troll. Someone had killed it and dragged its corpse out of the cave. Convinced that there is a high probability that the Black Devil may reside within the cave, they use Zolv to contact Zaraki Kamir. Ophellia provided directions for him to relay to find the cave in question.
They head inside, discovering the remains of a trolls lair and then push further in and discover ancient ruins. At the heart of the ruins stands a circular platform, bearing words carved into the stonework. (The language is Gappelspiel) Also, fourteen symbols of are carved into a gold ring of gold atop the platform. Thirteen of the symbols are recognised as Asurman and the Twelve Guardian Deities of the White Pantheon. The fourteenth symbol is unknown to anyone.
As the party examine the platform, they send their familiars out to scout the tunnels they see across the ravine surrounding them. Kitty encounters the Black Devil and so the party quickly use some magic (Vortex Warp) to drag them over to them. In response the Black Devil draws their blade and holds their attack just before striking Icarus. Revealing the fact that they recognise the party. It is Malakye, who according the remaining members of Gudvar Merchant Caravan went missing three years previously. Ophellia, uses her divine magic to try and force a confession out him. Ultimately, it leads to him revealing that he is on a holy mission to kill a Curi'nakra; a person who is working to bring demons back into the world of Azure. Malakye has been tasked with hunting this individual down, as his first act as a Daemon. He has not identified the individual yet, but the ones he killed in the village were apparently tainted by this individual's power. A power that could potential use its victims to summon demons to the material plane. He also reveals that he is potentially going to become an Exarch ( A champion) of the gods should he be successful in his mission. Although, he does not reveal which god specifically. He had spent the last three years in Aaru, training with the White Pantheon to control his wolven K'tan powers. He also reveals he has the K'tan powers of two different bloodlines. The first individual in recorded history to have been born with such.
Their conversation is interrupted by the arrival of Zaraki Kamir and his wolf-kin followers. The party agree to let Malakye flee and continue his mission. They lie to Zaraki about not seeing him, or revealing the fact that they know who the Black Devil is. Zaraki is annoyed they summoned him and have nothing to show for it, and so leaves to continue the hunt. Meanwhile, the party rest in the ruins for the night before heading back to the village. Ophellia studies the platform, taking rubbings of the language carved into it, and communes with her god, taking the first steps on her prestige class: The path of the Dragon Sage.
Enroute to the village, the party spot a lone cabin in the woods and encounter Ravenia and her guard. Icarus is able to notice something wrong with the environment (its and illusion) and alerts the party to this fact. Eventually, they have a rather frank discussion with Ravenia who allows them to leave unscathed so long as the party choose to leave peacefully; despite their rude behaviour as guests.

Campaign

Azure Campaign

Protagonists

Ophelia Diviceth

Lawful Good Yuan-ti (UA) (Raised in Tanjarr (Azure Campaign))
Artificer 3

27 / 27 HP

STR
8

DEX
14

CON
16

INT
19

WIS
13

CHA
10

Asog

Zolv

None Tortle (Raised in Tanjarr (Azure Campaign))
Sorcerer 5

34 / 34 HP

STR
10

DEX
8

CON
14

INT
16

WIS
13

CHA
20

Darnalore Sarapin

Neutral Good Half-Elf (Raised in Tanjarr (Azure Campaign))
Druid 3

27 / 27 HP

STR
8

DEX
16

CON
16

INT
10

WIS
18

CHA
13

Ryan Icarus

Report Date

11 Jan 2025

Primary Location

Whispering Woods

Related Characters

• Malakye
• Zaraki Kamir